I attended the panel, which was very interesting, and came away feeling as if I knew a lot more about witchcraft. Here’s some of the more interesting and important things that were discussed:

FALSE: witches always dress in black, witches are ugly old women, witches ride around on broomsticks, witches worship the devil, witches perform (or think they perform) extraordinary magic such as portrayed in TV shows like Bewitched and Charmed or movies like Harry Potter.

TRUE: Wicca is modeled on traditional European practices and pre-Christian beliefs, Wiccans celebrate eight festivals, called Sabbats, which are based on the lunar calendar and correspond with the historical agricultural system in Europe, witches perform magickal rituals. Magick is spelled with a “k” to make a distinction from the stage magic performed by a magician pulling a bunny out of a top hat. Magick is using the energy in your mind, using your consciousness to altar your reality – it is, in simplest terms, techniques to help you make an inner change so that you can accomplish your goals.

Wheel of the Year, showing the eight Sabbats

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SAMHAIN, the Pagan version of Halloween:

Samhain, pronounced “so-wen”, is the start of the Celtic new year, and is celebrated in October 31

Samhain recognizes the third harvest in the fall when animals are slaughtered for meat

Samhain is the time when the deceased are honored

Wiccans believe that the veil separating the living from the dead is thinnest on October 31

Here’s a short video about the history of Halloween:

To read the full article on the Columbia Missourian’s website click here.